Wednesday was the hottest day recorded in the Maldives this year, according to Met Office records, with the feels-like temperature in Malé reaching 39.1°C at 2pm. The second-highest feels-like temperature of the year was 39°C, recorded in Hanimadhoo on 6 April.
Bank of Ceylon stopped issuing US dollars in exchange for rufiyaa for its smart remit services. BOC reportedly informed customers that it was due to difficulty sourcing dollars. The bank previously converted rufiyaa earnings to US dollars to send remittances.
The Local Government Authority began directing councils to obtain its approval before recruiting staff. In letters sent to councils by LGA CEO Mohamed Nimal, the authority said councils must seek approval before filling new or vacant permanent positions, as well as before hiring employees on contracts or wages for temporary periods, citing the government’s austerity measures. The approval requirement also applies to job announcements for temporary positions and staff hired for specific projects through wage, contract, consultancy or other arrangements.
The Malé City Council unanimously passed an emergency motion calling on HDC, which oversees municipal services in Hulhumalé, to install railings on the windows and balconies of housing towers to prevent people from falling or jumping. The motion also calls on HDC to work with police to strengthen traffic management in Hulhumalé. It followed the death of a nine-year-old girl in a road accident and the death of a two-year-old girl who fell from the 12th floor of a residential building.
The city council also passed a motion seeking clarification on when water and electricity services will be connected to parts of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and Phase 3 where individuals were allocated plots under the former administration’s land ownership scheme.
Five people were injured in three accidents in Malé and Hulhumalé on Wednesday, police said. A motorcycle went out of control near Vinares 6 at 8am while avoiding a child who ran across the road; police said the motorcycle did not hit the child. A bus and a motorcycle collided at 5.10pm, injuring a 69-year-old man riding and a 72-year-old woman behind him, neither seriously. Two motorcycles collided in Hulhumalé Phase 2 at 8.11pm, with one person cut on the top of the right foot.
Employees of state-owned enterprises are facing threats from their superiors of dismissal unless they become members of the ruling PNC, Adhadhu reported.
Malé City Mayor Adam Azim said the council is facing budget cuts following the removal of vehicle-related fees from its revenue after the new Land Transport Act transferred road management responsibilities to the newly established Greater Malé Transport and Mobility Office. He also noted reductions in the block grant allocated to the council from the state budget. Azim warned that the cuts to the block grant, including deductions for unpaid utility bills and reductions in monthly allocations, could make it difficult for the council to pay staff salaries in the coming months.
Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef told Mihaaru that individuals who “rent” or hand over their bank accounts or cards to be used for financial crime will be prosecuted on money laundering charges. Such cases of "money mules" are becoming more prevalent, he said, adding that charges of encouraging, facilitating or being an accomplice in money laundering could be raised.
Thinadhoo City Council asked the environment ministry to fine Swift Engineering for dewatering chemical water and cement mix into the island’s mangrove during the construction of housing units. The company is linked to Thinadhoo’s ruling party MP Saudulla Hilmy.
The Human Rights Commission accepted a case filed by the MDP concerning the planned relocation of residents of Haa Dhaalu Hirimaradhoo, citing concerns that the decision was made without adequate arrangements to guarantee essential services. After the government’s decision to relocate the population, the island’s council was abolished, with its representatives elected for Hanimaadhoo council in April's elections. However, the relocation to Hanimadhoo has been delayed due to stalled construction of new homes.
A date to hold an election to nominate council and WDC president representatives for the LGA board has not been set, an official told Adhadhu. The election, previously scheduled for 8 August, was postponed for administrative reasons, according to the LGA.
